Dialogue and Engagement Hub
This set of resources is based on important research that was supported by the EPA (link here)
- Sustainable change is complicated and is often very different from one place to another.
- Finding out just what makes your community special is very important if you want to make it more sustainable.
- You need to know who can make important decisions in your community (actors) and how those changes can be brought about (drivers) is crucial
- Ideas and actions that best suit each community need to be created in co-operation; with everyone being heard, and everyone giving their own thoughts. This is called ‘co‑design’. Sustainability projects and actions that are ‘co-designed’ are more likely to succeed than plans that are one-size-fits all, national strategies.
This resource will help you get more people from your community involved in sustainability, it shows you how to get more people talking to eachother and increase local participation.
The tool itself has been co-designed by our community expert partners.
The drivers of community climate change action 1-16
#1: Participation, social capital and localism
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie
>>Community Energy: A Practical Guide to Reclaiming Power,>>The energy transition to energy democracy (RESCOOPS)
#2: Population pressure and land demand
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>Stakeholder Mapping, >>Foresight or ‘futures’ exercises, >>SCOR Method
#3: Environmental damage and global warming:
Links to useful tools ClimateConnected.ie
>>Discover your carbon footprint, >>The energy transition to energy democracy (RESCOOPS)
#4: Mistrust and scepticism
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>Diversity Map, >>The 5 Why’s Technique, >>History Map, >>Foresight or ‘futures’ exercises
#5: Public opinion and dialogue
Links to useful tools ClimateConnected.ie
>>Cleveland Facilitator’s Guide; >>Mind Mapping, >>Listen to Carol’s Podcast on Using what’s in your community to develop it sustainably
#6: Social Expectations and Responsibilities
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>Discover your carbon footprint, >>Community Level Carbon Footprint Map
#7: Local circumstances
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie
>>Climate Action in Cleveland, >>Listen to Carol’s Podcast on Using what’s in your community to develop it sustainably: and ‘the day of the dots’
#8: Infrastructure and organizational systems
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>Engagement and Dialogue, >>Build your community organisation, >>Identify Barriers
#9: Agency and capability
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie
#10: Moral obligation
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>Cleveland Neighbourhood Climate Action Toolkit, >Listen to Carol’s Podcast on Using what’s in your community to develop it sustainably
#11: Emotive and affective
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie
>>The Compile Stakeholder Engagement Guide, >>Listen to Séan’s podcast on how to get deep community engagement
#12: Faith and Spirituality
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>See the Lixnaw Bog Project, >>Hinterland West, >>Hear Sean Carolan’s podcast on respectful engagement
#13: Health
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie
>>Closing the nature gap, >>Cycling Schemes Ireland, >>Warmer and Healthier Homes
#14: Information
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>The Community Case Studies show how communities can take climate action in many different ways.
#15: Participatory and Inclusive Local Governance
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie
>>Guide for Inclusive Community Engagement in Local Planning and Decision Making This gives a comprehensive framework for inclusive community engagement in planning and development.
#16: Feedback
Useful tools on ClimateConnected.ie:
>>Energy meters and smart monitors, >>Carbon Footprint App, >>Community reporting and recognition (e.g., awards, results-sharing) provide collective feedback loops.
View a PDF of all 16 Drivers
General Resources
Practical, free tools to help community committees engage their neighbours and other local groups and take meaningful climate action.
Resources for Committee dialogue
Learn how to run effective meetings, identify target actions, take records and allocate tasks.
Communities have an important role in meaningful climate action. Across towns, cities and rural areas, local groups are making efforts to reduce emissions, build resilience, and contribute to a sustainable future.
This guidance document explores the key and broad ranging drivers that encourage and enable communities to take climate action. Identifying what motivates and sustains action is crucial to understanding how to best support communities in their climate journey. This guide builds on the EPA research report “Identifying, reviewing and testing the factors that drive the sustainable behaviour and transition of communities, groups and individuals” and practical resources gathered through the Climate Connected platform.
The purpose of this guide is to:
- Highlight some of the key drivers of community climate action.
- Help communities and other stakeholders understand how these drivers influence success in community climate action initiatives.
- Provide practical guidance and useful tools for communities to harness these drivers in their own context.
Whether embarking on a new climate initiative or seeking to scale up existing efforts, this document offers communities practical insights, real-world examples and adaptable tools and resources to empower communities to turn climate ambition into action.
